Ottawa Baseball Stadium

[FFX-ME]

Just a heads up for those who havent heard, pro baseball will be back in Ottawa in 2008 but it wont be with the internationnal league and the lynx but with the canam league which also has a franchise in quebec city and are planning on placing a team in Montreal by 2009. They are currently searching for a manager, a name and players. They will start playing at lynx stadium the 22nd of may against New Jersey.:notacrook:

:banana: PLAY BALL!!!:banana:

[Mille Sabords]

Not a big baseball fan, but happy for the city and those who like the sport. Any details on the team's name, logo etc.? Is this an expansion franchise or a relocated one?

[FFX-ME]

Theres not a name yet but I have a feeling its going to be the lynx with different logo, lol. It is an expansion franchise and with its appearance the road team the greys will dissapear but Ottawa will not have their players, they are currently searching for some home talent, I'll post articles for those interrested:

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=b3d563d8-abd1-45bc-87fd-2f34aa6d5a6c

http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=880ad763-0cf0-4faf-9cf9-0d71d4e3bf27&k=45104

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071201/SPORTS07/312010055

their new website on the can am site:
http://www.canamleague.com/teams/ottawa.php

from the quebec capitales website:
http://www.capitalesdequebec.com/index.php?section=9&idnews=191

[gatt]

very popular in Quebec city.but here?

[FFX-ME]

Hey, we had 7800 people at the last game, all can am stadiums cant even fit that many people, we only need to average a couple thousand per game to be set, and ive heard there are already near 1000 seasons tickets sold

[FFX-ME]

The new name and logo is out for the OTTAWA RAPIDS our new baseball team:cheers:

[eemy]

Good name! It's about time the rapids along the Ottawa were celebrated.

[Yroc]

What will become of Lynx Stadium / Jetform Park?

[isaidso]

What happened to the team? Was it a lack of interest in baseball by people in Ottawa? You'd think a metro of 1.1 million could easily support a team. Some teams in MLB are in metros not that much bigger than that. Milwaukee? Kansas City?

[m0nkyman]

What happened to the team? Was it a lack of interest in baseball by people in Ottawa? You'd think a metro of 1.1 million could easily support a team. Some teams in MLB are in metros not that much bigger than that. Milwaukee? Kansas City?

Metro Kansas City is 2.2 Million, Milwaukee is 1.7 million, but an immediate hinterland of well over 2 million.

[Mille Sabords]

What happened to the team? Was it a lack of interest in baseball by people in Ottawa? You'd think a metro of 1.1 million could easily support a team. Some teams in MLB are in metros not that much bigger than that. Milwaukee? Kansas City?

More to the point, we're not a baseball nation. People just weren't going. In the days we were the farm team for the Montreal Expos there was a good reason for baseball fans to follow the team, but since we were switched to being the farm team for the Baltimore Orioles, it was more like "whatever". Not like they didn't try: prices were great, the stadium is cozy and pleasant, close to downtown, getting there was no hassle. People just weren't going. Like the Phoenix Coyotes, you can try a sport outside its natural market but there's only so much money an owner can lose.

The former Ottawa Lynx are now the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

[Ottawade]

Not like they didn't try: prices were great, the stadium is cozy and pleasant, close to downtown, getting there was no hassle.

It's so true, you used to be able to get tickets for as low as $4 and in the days when the team wasn't filling the stadium you could pretty much sit anywhere and nobody would give you a hassle.

Honestly, if the stadium had free wi-fi my office probably would just work out of the stadium on sunny game days ;)

[highdensitysprawl]

More to the point, we're not a baseball nation.

A very true statement. I was living in Toronto in the early 90's and sure people got on the bandwagon etc to cheer those guys playing glorified rounders but the novelty of sitting through 81 home games quickly lost its appeal with the non die hard fans.

Canada and Ottawa is, and will be for many years, a hockey nation. The glorious game played far and wide from the Chocolate Box in Buenos Aires, to the Bernabau, to Old Trafford to even the glorious nation of Kazakhstan is gaining momentum throughout Ottawa and I suspect in 10-20 years will be the most popular for the non-CFRA audience and those who don't listen to Jim Rome.

[kwoldtimer]

More to the point, we're not a baseball nation. ...

But we are the nation of the first recorded game of baseball (1838)! :cheers:

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

But we are the nation of the first recorded game of baseball (1838)! :cheers:

And the oldest baseball stadium. It's in London, Ontario.

[osbort]

A very true statement. I was living in Toronto in the early 90's and sure people got on the bandwagon etc to cheer those guys playing glorified rounders but the novelty of sitting through 81 home games quickly lost its appeal with the non die hard fans.

Canada and Ottawa is, and will be for many years, a hockey nation. The glorious game played far and wide from the Chocolate Box in Buenos Aires, to the Bernabau, to Old Trafford to even the glorious nation of Kazakhstan is gaining momentum throughout Ottawa and I suspect in 10-20 years will be the most popular for the non-CFRA audience and those who don't listen to Jim Rome.

Also very true.

[isaidso]

Metro Kansas City is 2.2 Million, Milwaukee is 1.7 million, but an immediate hinterland of well over 2 million.

Exactly! Ottawa should be able to draw 10,000 for baseball without even trying.

More to the point, we're not a baseball nation. People just weren't going. In the days we were the farm team for the Montreal Expos there was a good reason for baseball fans to follow the team, but since we were switched to being the farm team for the Baltimore Orioles, it was more like "whatever".

Not a baseball nation? Cultural disinterest is probably at the root of the problem, but it's not that Canada isn't a baseball nation. The problem is Ontario. Ontario doesn't see past hockey, but this tunnel vision for hockey isn't a fact nationally. In other parts of Canada, other sports are part of the culture as well.

It's a mistake to conclude that the rest of Canada simply mirrors Ontario. It wasn't till I moved to Ontario that I realized how big hockey was in other parts of Canada. Where I grew up, hockey was completely off many people's radar. I've tried warming to the game, but it's just doesn't resonate culturally for me. It's always been football, basketball, and baseball.

[ottawatraffic]

Anybody have ideas for the stadium. It would be a shame to let this community asset go to waste

[p_xavier]

Exactly! Ottawa should be able to draw 10,000 for baseball without even trying.



Not a baseball nation? Cultural disinterest is probably at the root of the problem, but it's not that Canada isn't a baseball nation. The problem is Ontario. Ontario doesn't see past hockey, but this tunnel vision for hockey isn't a fact nationally. In other parts of Canada, other sports are part of the culture as well.

It's a mistake to conclude that the rest of Canada simply mirrors Ontario. It wasn't till I moved to Ontario that I realized how big hockey was in other parts of Canada. Where I grew up, hockey was completely off many people's radar. I've tried warming to the game, but it's just doesn't resonate culturally for me. It's always been football, basketball, and baseball.

I lived in New-Brunswick most of my childhood, they actually scrapped most of the baseball fields to put soccer fields instead. There is zero interest in Quebec, so when you have 2/3 of Canada's population that doesn't care about baseball, who's interested in it?

[ottawatraffic]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Ottawa+Stadium+diamond+rough/1803120/story.html


hopefully something will happen with this place. I dont know about the concert facility idea in the comments...indoor facility for 12-17k sounds like the scotiabank place to me

[p_xavier]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Ottawa+Stadium+diamond+rough/1803120/story.html


hopefully something will happen with this place. I dont know about the concert facility idea in the comments...indoor facility for 12-17k sounds like the scotiabank place to me

Well it would be a smaller venue, and much closer, plus with metro connections soon there, it could be a great place.

[lrt's friend]

And how many millions will we spend to provide a 'metro' connection to the unused Baseball park? Sounds like another Baseline Station fiasco. In order to do this, there will have to a pedestrian bridge over the Queensway and this will not be cheap.

[waterloowarrior]

And how many millions will we spend to provide a 'metro' connection to the unused Baseball park? Sounds like another Baseline Station fiasco. In order to do this, there will have to a pedestrian bridge over the Queensway and this will not be cheap.

A pedestrian bridge across the 417 to the train transitway station is already in the books... it's been talked about since before the stadium was built and has been in the OP/TMP since at least 2003.

[p_xavier]

And how many millions will we spend to provide a 'metro' connection to the unused Baseball park? Sounds like another Baseline Station fiasco. In order to do this, there will have to a pedestrian bridge over the Queensway and this will not be cheap.

It will probably be underground anyways, due to the alignment of that station. It's not only for the stadium, but for that part of the city which is not well served by rapid transit. The tunnel that was built for another station access in MTL cost 13M$, and that included the building on top of the tunnel and everything. So no, it's not the same as the Baseline fiasco...

I know it sounds cliché, but there is something called synergy within city building, that means trying to keep your citizens in a respectful and effective pedestrian environment.

[AuxTown]

Tear the thing down and build a really awesome, high-density, urban neighbourhood. This thing is way too central to be sitting idol for more than a couple years. I bet they could really build something tall there without too many complaints. They could also build surrounding 4-5 storey apartments as well as townhouses and connections to surrounding retail centres, including a DEVELOPER-FUNDED pedestrian bridge to the Trainyards.

[IntoTheCore]

http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2009/07/27/10278811.html

Ball stadium to stay closed
By Derek Puddicombe, Sun Media
Last Updated: 27th July 2009, 2:29pm

There won't be any ball games at Ottawa's baseball stadium for the time being.

An understanding couldn't be reached today between the city and Can Am baseball commissioner Miles Wolff that would have allowed kids to play in the stadium.

“I was unhappy by the lack of progress made today to see a resolution and action plan towards putting teams on to the field ” said Councillor Bob Monette in an e-mail. “Last week when we toured the stadium with acting mayor Doug Thompson, we were encouraged by what we saw and the attitudes that we were receiving from City Staff and representatives from the CAN AM League.”

Monette said he was still hopeful a deal could be reached for the field to see some use this summer.

[jcollins]

Group swings at pro baseball in Ottawa

By DEREK PUDDICOMBE, Sun Media
Last Updated: 21st August 2009, 11:16pm

A group wants to bring professional baseball back to the capital.

The Ottawa Stadium Group is currently exploring the idea of acquiring a Can-Am baseball franchise for the 2010 season.

David Butler, who operates Bytown Trolley Company, is leading the group and says he has submitted a proposal to the city and to Can-Am League commissioner Miles Wolff to re-open the doors of the Ottawa Baseball Stadium and field a team. A franchise costs $750,000.

The Can-Am League was supposed to have a team ready to go for this season but pulled out at the last moment citing poor economic conditions.

“We are having discussions,” said Butler. “We are going to try and make a run at it again.” Long-term lease

Earlier this week, OSG submitted a proposal to the city’s legal department that outlines a plan to negotiate a long-term lease.

Butler said the negotiations with Can-Am are in full swing.

However, given the checkered history of baseball at the Coventry Rd. stadium, Butler says he wants to use the facility for more than just baseball.

Butler would like the city to allow the stadium to be used for concerts and other events.

“Baseball would be one product,” said Butler. “Nobody will make just baseball work. I want something there every day.”

OSG member Duncan Macdonald has worked in many roles with Major League Baseball, including with the Toronto Blue Jays during their two World Series wins in the early ’90s. He said there isn’t a stadium in North America that is used only for baseball

Macdonald also worked for Terrace Investments in the late 1980s, which was successful in bringing the Ottawa Senators to the capital.

“We want to sell fun, sun and entertainment,” he said.

The group has a marketing plan to try to fill the 10,000-seat stadium in the summer months and they’re working on plans for events during the city’s popular Winterlude festival.

“We need to give people a reason to come to the stadium,” said Macdonald.

Orleans Coun. Bob Monette said he has been speaking with Butler and likes the idea.

In addition to Butler’s group, Monette said there have been up to three other expressions of interest in bringing back a ball club.

“These are good signs,” said Monette.

derek.puddicombe@sunmedia.ca

[kwoldtimer]

Does anyone know why the baseball stadium is not used as a concert venue in the summer? It always seems to me like a good opportunity missed.

[waterloowarrior]

Ottawa business group makes pitch for baseball stadium

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Ottawa+business+group+makes+pitch+baseball+stadium/1925248/story.html
BY PATRICK DARE AND DON CAMPBELL , THE OTTAWA CITIZENAUGUST 24, 2009 6:01 PMBE THE FIRST TO POST A COMMENT


STORYPHOTOS ( 2 )



More Images »

David Butler, chief executive of Ottawa Trolley Company and representing Ottawa Stadium Group, accompanied by Councillor Bob Monette, rivht, and little leaguers and parents talk to the media prior to the delivery of OSG's executive summary and offer to lease for the Ottawa Stadium to the City of Ottawa.
Photograph by: Jean Levac, The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — With a heartfelt rendition of Take Me Out to the Ball Game and a few throws on the grass at City Hall, a business partnership on Monday made a first pitch to Ottawa Council to get control of the city's empty professional baseball stadium.

David Butler, chief executive officer of Bytown Trolley Company, arrived on one of his vehicles with a group of singing Little League players. Butler was delivering a proposal to the city to take over the empty stadium on Coventry Road and have it used for both Can-Am baseball and amateur play, concerts and festivals, as well as space for businesses.

The stadium is considered a superb baseball venue and was home to the Ottawa Lynx from 1993-2007. The club saw large crowds to its 10,000-seat stadium in the early years but attendance fell off sharply in later years.

The Can-Am league had planned to operate a franchise in Ottawa this season — the Ottawa Voyageurs — but instead it pulled the plug eight weeks before the start of the season.

Butler didn't divulge many details of his proposal but said that the stadium needs a variety of uses through the year to be a successful operation. One of his plans is to install awnings over part of the seating to provide shelter from rain and sun.

Butler arrived with a partner, Duncan MacDonald, but said he has other partners for the venture who don't wish to be identified yet.

Buying a Can-Am franchise, should one become available, would cost the group $750,000 U.S.

Orléans Councillor Bob Monette said he was pleased to help deliver the pitch because he's been frustrated that such an expensive venue sits empty and not maintained.

“The last thing we want to see is another year of an empty stadium,” said Monette. He said that if the business group, called Ottawa Stadium Group, is able to get a professional baseball franchise for the city, the team would get crowds in the range of 2,000 to 3,000.

MacDonald said the Ottawa Stadium Group is looking for a long-term deal to make it a worthwhile proposition and build a fan base for a new team.

“It's a state-of-the-art facility in Canada's capital city. It would be a shame to knock it down,” said MacDonald.

Rick O'Connor, the city's solicitor and clerk, accepted the bid proposal on behalf of city manager Kent Kirkpatrick. O'Connor said he expects other proposals because several groups have expressed an interest in the stadium. He said the city would likely reach a decision by the end of the year.

Cam-Am League commissioner Miles Wolff said he remains optimistic his league will return to Ottawa but says the league needs to know by early October if Ottawa figures in the plans for 2010.

He said he has been in contact and had meaningful discussions with several interested parties in bringing pro baseball back to Ottawa and that Ottawa Stadium Group was merely one of those groups and not necessarily a front-runner.

Wolff said he was disappointed Ottawa Stadium went unused all season.

"The Can-Am League had turned back the keys for the facility to the city in April," said Wolff. "The league had hoped that the park could be used for baseball this summer.

"But liability and other legal issues made it impossible for either the city or the league to reopen it this year."

While there is currently no Can-Am franchise in the city, Wolff is paying $108,000 in rent per season to the city.

Monette said baseball weather isn't over yet and there may be some kind of arrangement worked out in the next few days to “get somebody on the field.”

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen



and a CBC article...
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/08/24/ottawa-baseball-stadium.html

[waterloowarrior]

Ottawa Baseball Bid Could Include Bus Station
http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/09/28/ottawa-baseball-bid-expected-soon.aspx
By KENNETH_GRAY MON, SEP 28 2009 COMMENTS(0) THE BULLDOG

Filed under: City of Ottawa, baseball, Ottawa Stadium, David Butler, Bytown Trolley Company
A group headed by David Butler, the CEO of Ottawa Stadium Group and proprietor of the Bytown Trolley Company, is expected to make a bid to rent Ottawa Stadium this week or next for minor-league baseball and other activities in 2010.

Duncan MacDonald, a partner in OSG, said last week that among the "blue-skying" ideas the group has is putting a drive-thru coffee shop on the site, bringing the left-field fence in from Coventry Road and placing a retail-commercial establishment on the reclaimed space, putting artificial turf on the infield to facilitate moving a concert stage on the field, and even moving the Catherine Street bus station onto the site.

MacDonald would not reveal what minor-pro league the proposed team would play in, but he said that would be announced soon. He said a number of teams in the Can-Am loop, in which the Ottawa Rapidz played last year, are experiencing financial trouble or are up for sale.

The operation could also lease office space in the stadium building and would have deals in place to provide parking in nearby buildings and trolley service from the Train Transitway station to the stadium. Previous tenants of the Coventry Road ballpark have complained that the city has sold off so much parking that it makes operating a team profitably there impossible. In fact, the club would discourage single-occupant cars from parking at the limited stadium lot and encourage them to take the bus. The team would also lobby city council to get neighbourhood parking opened up. At present, game day parking is banned in large areas around the stadium.

In addition to live entertainment in the ball diamond, MacDonald said the club would erect a new scoreboard there.

MacDonald said the new baseball team cannot be allowed to fail for if it did, he didn't expect that the sport would reappear at the now-abandoned stadium. "It's strike three."

He said the club would offer special deals to teams, seniors, youngsters, veterans and the military to help them attend games.

[Yroc]

even moving the Catherine Street bus station onto the site

Would be a great idea.. There was plans to put a walking bridge over the 417 at this location. This would connect the bus to the train and both to transit (with a hotel right next door). I like it.

[Zach6668]

A drive thru coffee shop? There's a Starbucks like 4 seconds away.

[Acajack]

A drive thru coffee shop? There's a Starbucks like 4 seconds away.

A drive-thru coffee shop is a euphemism for (another) Tim Hortons.

[Sens1992]

Would be a great idea.. There was plans to put a walking bridge over the 417 at this location. This would connect the bus to the train and both to transit (with a hotel right next door). I like it.

I do too! The walking bridge would then be very usefull. The Train Station of the transitway is totally underused so combined with the VIA Train Station and a Central Bus Terminal, the construction of such a bridge will be a sure shot. I just hope that the ballpark will live once more but I have some doubts...

[waterloowarrior]

Chiarelli Continues Fight to Open Ottawa Stadium
http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/10/25/chiarelli-continues-fight-to-open-ottawa-stadium.aspx
By KENNETH_GRAY SUN, OCT 25 2009 COMMENTS(0) THE BULLDOG

Filed under: Rick Chiarelli, City of Ottawa, Vanier, Overbrook, Ottawa Stadium, Jacques Legendre

College Councillor Rick Chiarelli has vowed to continue his fight to convince the Ottawa Senators to take over Ottawa Stadium.

Chiarelli was expected to meet with Rideau-Rockcliffe Councillor Jacques Legendre last week to discuss opening up the surrounding neighbourhoods to on-street parking. Legendre represents the area surrounding the ballpark. The Senators major complaint about operating the stadium is the lack of parking on the site.

The Senators also had doubts about bringing concerts to the stadium because they were likely to duplicate the acts that already appear at Scotiabank Place.

Chiarelli said creating street parking in Overbrook and Vanier would provide more than enough spaces to make the stadium viable. The councillor also said there is a large concert organization that might be interested in the Coventry Road venue for shows.

[jchamoun79]

Concerts really are the way to go for this stadium. Forget baseball - Turn it into a outdoor concert amphitheatre, with a permanent stage. Many U.S. cities have these, and we know how successful the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto has been.

With the proper renovation, Ottawa could easily join the summer outdoor concert circuit.

[waterloowarrior]

City Has Three Proposals for Operating Ottawa Stadium
http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/12/01/city-has-three-proposals-for-operating-ottawa-stadium.aspx
By KENNETH_GRAY TUE, DEC 1 2009 COMMENTS(0) THE BULLDOG

Filed under: City of Ottawa, soccer, baseball, Ottawa Stadium, proposal
Here is a report, obtained by The Bulldog, on the future of Coventry Road's Ottawa Stadium. The report says the City of Ottawa has received two unsolicited proposals for operating baseball in the park and another proposal concerning putting a professional soccer team there:



staff report
http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/csedc/2009/12-01/07-ACS2009-CMR-REP-0050-Ottawa%20Stadium-300%20Coventry%20RoadFinal.htm


interesting background info

Staff recalls that when the Ottawa Stadium was in the planning stages by the former City of Ottawa, the then adjacent property owner, the Canada Life Assurance Company as represented by its real estate subsidiary Adason Properties Limited (Canada Life), strongly advocated that the stadium and the adjacent properties be developed as a mixed-use employment area with centralized/shared parking facilities and a pedestrian bridge connecting this area to the Train Transitway Station.

Canada Life also believed the concourse of the stadium facility could be designed to provide grade level retail that could serve as a convenient all weather connection between potential office development on the east and west sides of the stadium.

The former City of Ottawa did not act at that time on the Canada Life proposal due to budget constraints and ultimately Canada Life and the adjacent property owner to the east sold their properties and the new owner developed large format (big box) retail stores.

To maximize the value of this property to the City both financially and municipally, staff believe that any development planning for the future use and/or potential disposition of this property should, therefore, consider both a direct connection to the City's transitway and its designation in the City's OP and Zoning By-law for mixed use development, whether or not a stadium facility remains.

[waterloowarrior]

^ the soccer team is proposed by Neil Malhotra of Claridge
http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/12/01/neil-malhotra-wants-to-put-pro-soccer-in-ottawa-stadium.aspx

[lrt's friend]

I drove by the stadium today and was shocked by how small the parking lot is now, with the new building going up. I also noticed that part of the parking lot had been barracaded off. Surely, not another building in the works. I don't know how anybody can make a go of it with so little parking and no good transit access.

[waterloowarrior]

OSG makes official bid for Ottawa Stadium
Posted Jan 22, 2010
BY EMC NEWS
http://www.emcarnprior.ca/20100122/sports/OSG+makes+official+bid+for+Ottawa+Stadium


Ottawa Stadium Group (OSG), has formally made application to the city of Ottawa in response to the city’s Request for Interest (RFI) in the search and procurement for leasing Ottawa Stadium in 2010.
OSG, consisting of local businesspersons and key baseball personnel, tabled the bid to the city of Ottawa on Jan. 21, the final day for submissions.
The OSG bid proposal for leasing Ottawa stadium was developed to meet the city’s selection criteria which insisted that the tenant must have a semi-professional or professional sport playing in the stadium in 2010.
The OSG bid includes a combination of both semi-professional and professional baseball, both men and women, exceeding the required minimum amount of 20 home games.
Ottawa Stadium Group believes Ottawa stadium should be utilized as a multi-use facility in the same manner as other similar North American facilities do so, including Ottawa’s newest open-air stadium project being developed for Lansdowne Park.

[reidjr]

The league the pro team would be in is called the inter-county abseball league based out of southern ontario.

Teams
Toronto
Guelph
Barrie
London
Brantford
Kitchener
Hamilton
MIssissauga

Teams play a 36 game schedule.

[phil235]

This is league is not a good fit for Ottawa. The teams operate on small budgets, and every team is currently within 2 hours of each other. That would become 7 hours in the case of Ottawa-London.

I suppose they could find a way to do weekend series etc., but it isn't a long-term solution.

[reidjr]

This is league is not a good fit for Ottawa. The teams operate on small budgets, and every team is currently within 2 hours of each other. That would become 7 hours in the case of Ottawa-London.

I suppose they could find a way to do weekend series etc., but it isn't a long-term solution.

I think the league needs to expand out side of the 2 hour area to grow and ottawa could be a real good start.

[blackjagger]

based on who is involved currently ottawa would be a good fit and could help grow more franchises in eastern ontario, perhaps Kingston or even Belleville/Trenton area.

As for 7 hours to London maybe on the worst day in a snow storm. Most of the time all teams would be at most 5 - 5 1/2 hours.

[Yroc]

I don't think allowing on street parking nearby would resolve the parking issue. I would like to know which streets Chiarelli had in mind when he was asking for on street parking. It is my view that there are not many streets nearby that would be suitable for this (most of them are quite far from the venue, many are "privates" which means the city has no authority to open them, and the rest already allow on street parking).

More likely would be for them to use Canadian Tire, Bestbuy or Hampton parking (paying the owners for use) along with parking at the two nearby RCMP buildings (Headquarters and the one on Coventry.. I believe HQ is to vacate soonish). If more was needed, a long planned bridge that would connect to to the south side of the 417 would open the train station and Walmart parking on that side among others (again they would have to negotiate with the owners). This with the added benefit of adding good transit access.

Perhaps Chiarelli can ask that on street parking be allowed near our hospitals. It is a shame that folks have to pay $14.00 to visit sick family or attend to medical appointment at the hospital. It is not like there are no viable on street parking spots nearby (these are however all posted no parking zones, which I suspect is a result of the nearby residents petitioning city Council).

[phil235]

based on who is involved currently ottawa would be a good fit and could help grow more franchises in eastern ontario, perhaps Kingston or even Belleville/Trenton area.

As for 7 hours to London maybe on the worst day in a snow storm. Most of the time all teams would be at most 5 - 5 1/2 hours.

If you can make it to London in 5 hours by bus, I think you'd have some sort of record. London is 630 km away, and you need to pass through Toronto to get there. But more to the point, the closest team to Ottawa is Toronto at 4+ hours (assuming the demise of slightly-closer Oshawa). Every other team is farther away. These aren't trips you can make in an evening, as is the case with the rest of the league.

An eastern division would make sense, but that is a rather big endeavour and not likely to happen soon. What you have currently is a very small budget, local league that has been running successfully for years in that part of southern Ontario. Once you start taking about significant travel costs, it could mean trouble for lots of the teams. Heck, the Toronto team doesn't even charge admission.

[ottawatraffic]

based on who is involved currently ottawa would be a good fit and could help grow more franchises in eastern ontario, perhaps Kingston or even Belleville/Trenton area.

As for 7 hours to London maybe on the worst day in a snow storm. Most of the time all teams would be at most 5 - 5 1/2 hours.

Based on who is involved this is a good fit? I think its probably the opposite and the final nail in the coffin for baseball in Ottawa. The reputation of this group has been terrible in Ottawa

[reidjr]

Based on who is involved this is a good fit? I think its probably the opposite and the final nail in the coffin for baseball in Ottawa. The reputation of this group has been terrible in Ottawa

No i don't think it would be the final nail in the coffin at all.As for this group i have heard very little bad of this group.

[phil235]

I don't mean to be completely negative on this, but if you are all familiar with this league you would recognize that it is not the answer to revitalizing a 10,000 seat stadium. I grew up in Kitchener, and based on games I went to, would estimate that they average about 200-300 fans per game. Toronto was probably less.

If Ottawa wants to make use of its existing facility, it needs to aim higher.

[reidjr]

I don't mean to be completely negative on this, but if you are all familiar with this league you would recognize that it is not the answer to revitalizing a 10,000 seat stadium. I grew up in Kitchener, and based on games I went to, would estimate that they average about 200-300 fans per game. Toronto was probably less.

If Ottawa wants to make use of its existing facility, it needs to aim higher.

This league is a start and it may get real good supoport here.

[waterloowarrior]

Baseball returns to Ottawa
Last Updated: Thursday, March 11, 2010 | 11:18 AM ET Comments0Recommend2
CBC News

Baseball will return to Ottawa Stadium this summer in the form of a team in Ontario's Intercounty Baseball League, the oldest baseball league in Canada. The league has been in continuous operation since 1919.

On Wednesday, the IBL awarded an expansion franchise to Ottawa Stadium Group (OSG).

Ottawa's team will be the league's ninth member for the 2010 season.

The new franchise will announce its team name and head coach next week. It has already begun to put together a roster of players.

The team will compete against teams such as the Barrie Baycats, Guelph Royals, Hamilton Thunderbirds, Brantford Red Sox, Kitchener Panthers, London Majors, Mississauga Twins and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The games will play out of Ottawa Stadium, a 10,300 seat ball park formerly known as Lynx Stadium when it was playing host to triple-A baseball, and most recently, independent professional baseball.

"The IBL wishes to thank Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien and city councillors who saw the need to utilize the stadium for the multiple uses that the community will receive," said Joe O'Neill, commissioner of the IBL.

The stadium group will also be announcing details on some of the unique ticketing packages and "double play" season ticket packages that deliver a "double dose of value" to purchasers, O'Neill said in a new release.

Rosters in the league are filled with top local players and talented Canadian and U.S. players from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) colleges and universities, O'Neill said.

Baseball fans will welcome the new team after the Ottawa Rapidz baseball team last year ended its run with the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am) league after just one season.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/11/ottawa-baseball.html#ixzz0ht2C1ikr

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I give this thing two years, maybe three TOPS before it folds.

[reidjr]

I give this thing two years, maybe three TOPS before it folds.

I would not be to sure about that.Don't forget with the rapidz attendance was not that big of a issue in fact for a last place team it was not to bad at all.Aslo with the ibl teams draw between 200-600 per game on the avg.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I would not be to sure about that.Don't forget with the rapidz attendance was not that big of a issue in fact for a last place team it was not to bad at all.Aslo with the ibl teams draw between 200-600 per game on the avg.

Let's just roll with your argument for a second. Now we run into some problems...

"...for a last place team it was not that bad at all".

"...the IBL teams draw between 200-600 per game..."

So not only was it "not that bad" for a last place team, but this new league or whatever averages only 200-600 per game in a VERY short season in a stadium that seats 10,332? That is underutilization in the most appalling way.

Here's another thing, sure the Rapidz had better attendance than the Lynx but they were around for ONE. PUNY. SEASON. They also declared bankruptcy and the Rapidz were going to be replaced by the Voyageurs but NO ONE WANTED TO TAKE THAT ON. So now we're left with a new team adn the same old rhetoric being spouted from the hadnful of supporters who care about baseball in this city saying that thigns will change and trying to give the stadium some purpose that almost no one uses, and is a drain on taxpayers and the city.

Enough is enough; get rid of baseball in this city and do something useful, productive and revenue-generating with the site. Lord knows it needs it.

[reidjr]

Let's just roll with your argument for a second. Now we run into some problems...

"...for a last place team it was not that bad at all".

"...the IBL teams draw between 200-600 per game..."

So not only was it "not that bad" for a last place team, but this new league or whatever averages only 200-600 per game in a VERY short season in a stadium that seats 10,332? That is underutilization in the most appalling way.

Here's another thing, sure the Rapidz had better attendance than the Lynx but they were around for ONE. PUNY. SEASON. They also declared bankruptcy and the Rapidz were going to be replaced by the Voyageurs but NO ONE WANTED TO TAKE THAT ON. So now we're left with a new team adn the same old rhetoric being spouted from the hadnful of supporters who care about baseball in this city saying that thigns will change and trying to give the stadium some purpose that almost no one uses, and is a drain on taxpayers and the city.

Enough is enough; get rid of baseball in this city and do something useful, productive and revenue-generating with the site. Lord knows it needs it.

I beleave its more then a hand full of supporters.You can't look at it and expect a semi pro team to fill a 10,000 seat stadium even some major baseball teams are in the past few years having big attendance issues.You have to loook at the full picture this group from reports has a number of events out side of the baseball team so that alone is a gfood thing there are plans for concerts etc.As for the stadium beeing a drain on tax payers ok then should we go over all city items be it librays parks arts and culture and relook at everything and cut funding for some.I have said this before i live bnear a major bike trail that is not used as it should plus i am right next to many parks thata re not used as they should be.As for the ibl teams i think they will get good crowds more then many here expect.

[waterloowarrior]

Baseball team's name revealed
THE OTTAWA CITIZENMARCH 24, 2010 2:10 PMBE THE FIRST TO POST A COMMENT


STORYPHOTOS ( 1 )



The owners of Ottawa's new entry in the Inter-County Baseball League unveil the new logo
Photograph by: Handout photo, Inter-County Baseball League
During a noon-hour press conference at city hall Wednesday, the Ottawa Stadium Group announced the name of the city's newest baseball franchise in the Intercounty Baseball League and unveiled the team logo.

With City Councillor Bob Monette, IBL Commissioner Joe O'Neill and Bill MacKenzie, the club's first manager on hand, the Ottawa Fat Cats were introduced.

The logo has a coat of arms look to it, with Ottawa across the middle, with the "O" replaced with a baseball. The name "Fat Cats" is directly underneath and the top of the logo is overpowered with a fat, smiling, animated cat wearing a baseball cap.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen


logo from the Ottawa Sun
http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/?src=http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/baseball/2010/03/24/IMG00230b.jpg&size=248x186

[Ottawan]

:previous:

That seems like quite the odd name for a sports fanchise... shouldn't it be something we can be proud to cheer for? Somehow the cheer "Go Fat Cats Go!" doesn't ring right.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

*gggggggggggggggggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

[Dado]

On the bright side, the name is now unavailable for the CFL team that might some day inhabit Lansdowne, though it might better apply there.

[adam-machiavelli]

Seriously? Is this a joke?

[reidjr]

Seriously? Is this a joke?

I don't see how its a joke.THey went with a team name that is not tos erious it will attract fans of all ages.

[Mille Sabords]

Brilliant! I'm going to a game just for that team name. Also, the O logo with the cat's eye is pretty cool. :tup:

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I suddenly feel like I've been transported to some Kind of Disney Hell, and it makes me want to vomit profusely... >_<

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Gees-gees baseball will play at the Ottawa Stadium, bet you did not know uOttawa had a baseball team. They hope to raise visibility by playing there,

New stable for the Garnet and Grey

Men’s baseball club set to play home games at Ottawa Baseball StadiumJ

by Jaehoon Kim

Published: Mar 30

THE UNIVERSITY OF Ottawa men’s baseball competitive club currently plays their home games at Heritage Park in Orleans. Unfortunately for baseball lovers at the U of O, Heritage Park is a 20-minute drive from the downtown campus, and the trek out to suburbia takes 45 minutes by bus. As a result, the team has struggled to attract fans to their home games, despite being perennial national contenders in the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA).

“In the past, we’ve just had friends and family [at games], coming all the way out to Orleans,” said Gees head coach Larry Belanger. “We’ve played out in Orleans and that’s been good for us [because] we have a good relationship with the Orleans Little League, but it’s just so far away from campus. It’s impossible to get students out there to watch our games.”

That’s all about to change as of September.

Starting next season, the Gee-Gees are set to play their home games at the downtown Ottawa Baseball Stadium, located near the Ottawa train station. The stadium—formerly the home of the Ottawa Lynx—can seat up to 10,332 fans. The semi-pro Ottawa Fat Cats have a lease with the City of Ottawa for the stadium; the Gee-Gees will be renting from the Fat Cats as the Cats’ season finishes in July, well before the start of the school year.

“We’re going to make a real push for publicity [to] make sure that every student at the U of O knows that we’re playing there and that we’re an option for something to do on the weekend,” said Belanger.

“It will give some validity to our name that we are a serious organization. We want to really show Ottawa that we’re here to stay,” added Gees veteran catcher Matti Emery.

Aside from providing student fans with easier access to the team, the Gee-Gees will also benefit from calling the Ottawa Baseball Stadium home in other ways.

“Teams can do a lot better if they have home-field advantage with fans cheering for them. There’s no other team in the entire league that would have facilities like we would if we were to play there. It’s easily the best field in CIBA,” said Emery.

The team has been busy for the past few months, trying to fundraise money in order to finance this project. The Gees have also attracted the attention of various local sponsors; these sources of revenue are required because the baseball club is trying not to charge fans to attend their games.

“Admission would be free to the games. The Fat Cats will have their canteens open and they’ll be selling beer, so they’ll have a chance to make some money that way. We’ll be doing a 50-50 draw, we’ll be selling programs, our t-shirts, and hats at the stadium to make ourselves a little bit of money,” said Belanger of the team’s financial model.

Ottawa finished 10-6 and was unable to reach the nationals this past season as a result of a highly inexperienced roster. With a much more veteran-laden lineup in tow, the Gees are expecting greater things for 2011.

“I’ve played for the Gee-Gees for three years and in two of them, we lost in the national semifinals. A lot of guys coming in next year have collegiate experience from the states. So we should have a pretty good lineup,” explained Emery.

“Pitching will have good depth and defensively, I’m only losing one player off of our starting nine and we already have someone stepping in to fill that spot—a new recruit. I expect to go to nationals. We should be one of the top teams in the country this year,” said Belanger.

[McC]

that's great news!

[reidjr]

A mixed-use development should be built in the parking lot of the Ottawa Stadium, an analysis has concluded.

The six-acre parking lot could support a development with at least an additional 550,000 square feet of floorspace, the report says.

But the future of the actual taxpayer-owned stadium is still murky.

“In any event, if the stadium facility is to be maintained, it will require the city to find a strong development partner with a financially viable and sustainable development and stadium use plan. The potential to find such a development partner appears to be limited if restrictions are placed on the potential, in the future, to further adapt or redevelop the stadium facility,” the report says.

The analysis suggests maintaining the stadium without development in the parking lot, or modifying the stadium to broaden its use, “appears to be unrealistic.”

Converting the stadium into a concert bowl is “feasible,” and although eliminating the stadium from the long-term plan is possible, it might not produce the best value to the city, the report says.

If the entire 16-acre stadium property was sold and redeveloped without the stadium, the value of the land would be reduced by the roughly $2.5-million cost to demolish the stadium.

Since the stadium is still in good condition, staff say keeping the structure would be “economically and environmentally appropriate,” even if the playing field isn't maintained.

Staff also say the $4 million to move the a sports dome facility from Lansdowne Park to the baseball stadium is hard to justify without first establishing a long-term benefit that fits with the vision for the stadium.

The report also comments on the future of baseball in Ottawa.

“Based on the past experience in Ottawa and the apparent overall decline of organized baseball in Canada in the last decade, there is little or no current evidence to indicate that a purpose-built baseball stadium can be financially sustained in the long-term by reliance on a professional or semi-professional baseball being the predominant use for the facility,” the report says.

“The financial viability of maintaining the Stadium structure for the long-term will likely be dependent of the ability to attract a significant number of other customer paying events.”

The Ottawa Fat Cats of the Intercounty Baseball League currently play out of the stadium, which was originally built in 1992 for the Ottawa Lynx triple-A ball club.

[kevinbottawa]

I wonder if this will make city staff reconsider developing the stadium grounds.

[kevinbottawa]

Someone just started a thread about the Gees Gees baseball team moving their games from Orleans to the Ottawa Baseball Stadium. I wonder how this will factor into the plans for the stadium.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=5225099#post5225099

[rakerman]

If maintaining the stadium without some theoretical development is unrealistic, I don't understand why they're doing the $8 million pedestrian bridge? What does the pedestrian bridge connect people to?

[reidjr]

If maintaining the stadium without some theoretical development is unrealistic, I don't understand why they're doing the $8 million pedestrian bridge? What does the pedestrian bridge connect people to?

What it seems like they want to do is have houseing/stores/offices and the stadium used as a concert bowl.

[MountainView]

Don't know if there is any truth to this, or whether anyone else has seen this article yet but I think it's worth posting:

Article:

http://www.yourottawaregion.com/sports/local/article/979448--pro-baseball-coming-back-to-ottawa

Daniel Nugent-Bowman - Apr 11, 2011


Return of minor-league team could happen by 2013

College Coun. Rick Chiarelli believes Ottawa is getting closer to securing a professional baseball team, which could happen as early as the 2013 season.

Chiarelli made headlines last November after admitting he was “embryonic stages” of bringing a minor-league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays to the nation’s capital.

Now Chiarelli – who is in talks with Orleans Coun. Bob Monette and Brian Carolan, president and spokesperson for the Ottawa Stadium Group – believes a pro-level team could be in the works if the Ottawa Stadium is up kept.

Ottawa Major Jim Watson delayed a plan that would have seen the stadium’s parking lot transformed into condominiums, offices and retail buildings on April 5.

He added that the success of the Ottawa Fat Cats’ inaugural season in the Intercounty Baseball League also factored into the reasoning.

“If we are successful in securing a professional team that happened to be affiliated with the Blue Jays, it will only improve the popularity of the sport and sustainability of the franchise for many years to come,” said Chiarelli in a press release on April 11. “We have a lot of work to do at committee and with city council but we are very motivated to assemble a ‘best-use’ scenario to ensure we, as a community, utilize a fantastic city asset and state-of-the-art facility.”

Chiarelli added that he believes Ottawa Stadium is the best baseball facility in Canada, save for the Blue Jays’ Rogers Centre.

Back in November, Mal Romanin, manager of baseball information for the Toronto Blue Jays, said re-negotiating with their farm teams isn’t an option for at least the next two seasons.

“We have agreements with all our affiliates that go through the 2012 season and we’re very happy with all our affiliates at this stage,” he said.

Carolan, however, appears hopeful that when the time comes, Ottawa will be ready.

“After meeting with Councillor Monette and Councillor Chiarelli, we concluded that our efforts in returning professional baseball to Ottawa were being duplicated and that the community would be better served if we all agreed to work as one group and expedite the process in accomplishing the objective,” he said in the release.

The Ottawa Lynx were the city’s last professional minor-league team. Founded in 1993, the Lynx were the Triple-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles and, finally, the Philadelphia Phillies before folding in 2007.

The Rapidz a Canadian-American League team played one season in 2008 before the Fat Cats began play last season.

[McC]

If Ottawa does land a team affiliated to Toronto, my vote is to call the team the O'Jays, and, of course, the shuttle bus to the games would be "The Love Train", both because the song rules and the implied ironic comment on the state of our transit.

;-)


Double-A baseball bound for Ottawa in 2014, mayor says


By David Reevely, Ottawa CitizenSeptember 6, 2012 10:00 AM

OTTAWA — The city’s reached a deal to lease the Ottawa Stadium to a minor-league baseball team for the 2014 season, Mayor Jim Watson announced Thursday morning.

It’s actually in two parts: an agreement between the city and a middleman, Beacon Sports Capital Partners, to lease and renovate the Coventry Road building, and an agreement between Beacon and an unnamed team in the Double-A Eastern League to move in.

“The City of Ottawa has cleared an important hurdle on our way to bringing professional baseball back to Ottawa,” Watson said in a written statement. “If the plan moves forward, it will allow the city to preserve an important purpose-built city asset, the Ottawa Stadium, while providing an exciting family entertainment option for the residents of Ottawa.”

The stadium has been underused since the Ottawa Lynx Triple-A team left in 2007. Its most recent main tenant has been the Ottawa Fat Cats semi-professional team.

Repeated rumours have said that the Eastern League’s Binghamton Mets are looking to move north and that another team could take their place in Binghamton’s stadium. Regardless, the key to making professional baseball work in Ottawa is supposed to be an affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays major-league team, which would send young players here to develop their skills.

David Gourlay, the organizer behind a ticket drive meant to prove that Ottawans have an appetite for baseball, sent a news release out minutes after Watson’s announcement, talking up the prospects for a vibrant baseball scene in the capital that would include “the thousands of Blue Jays fans cheering on the team.” About 3,100 people put money down in anticipation of getting tickets when the new team starts playing, he wrote.

Under the outline for a deal that city council approved earlier this year, the city and Beacon would between them spend more than $10 million getting the stadium up to scratch for professional ball again. The terms of the agreements are consistent with the outline, said Councillor Rick Chiarelli, who’s promoted the return of pro baseball for years. All that’s left is a “due-diligence” period for the city and the other parties to check each other’s claims.

“I think we’re pretty confident that what they’re saying is true,” he said of Beacon. “And we’re confident that what we’re saying is true as well.” Watson’s announcement says that city council’s finance committee will vote on the terms of the agreement with Beacon in October.

One pop-fly in the ointment is that the deal doesn’t include any particular guarantee for the Fat Cats, Chiarelli said. The team’s short season means it could theoretically fit a schedule around a Double-A team’s home games, but making it work isn’t a certainty.

More to come.

dreevely@ottawacitizen.com
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

[Acajack]

What I find interesting about this is that the City of Ottawa used public funds without barely blinking an eye to build a baseball stadium in 1993: 17 million back then, which would probably mean 50 million today. Compare this to the saga around renovations and building new stands at Frank Clair for a CFL club.

[OTTHockeyFan]

New article just released today touting the revitalization of the stadium: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Heavy+hitters+back+baseball/8038619/story.html


Heavy hitters back new baseball bid

Partners plan to ‘reinvent’ Ottawa Stadium as sports and entertainment hub

By Don Campbell, OTTAWA CITIZEN March 2, 2013

Two of the biggest and most powerful corporate players in all of minor league professional baseball, including one that already owns an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, are poised to bring pro baseball back to the capital.

...

[rocketphish]

Finance committee votes unanimously for Ottawa Stadium plan

By OTTAWA CITIZEN, Ottawa Citizen June 4, 2013 1:06 PM

Ottawa’s finance committee unanimously approved Tuesday morning a proposal for its Ottawa Stadium that would see it spend up to six times as much as previously planned.

“Baseball was successful before and it can be again,” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said Tuesday, adding that a long-term tenant “would allow the city to start reinvesting in the facility.”

During the Finance Committee’s meeting, City Manager Kent Kirkpatrick said Ottawa has put a lot of effort into trying to make the previous plan work, with “extensive discussions” with two potential owners. The city was unable to make a deal.

Kirkpatrick said the new proposal asks bidders to indicate what improvements they think the stadium would need, how it would be paid for, and how the city could recoup its share.

“I think that in terms of what is required to remediate the deferred life cycle spending on that facility is probably in the range of $8 million -to-$10 million,” Kirkpatrick said.

The new proposal makes the stadium available for rentals this summer and potentially next.

Much of Tuesday’s discussion was about parking at the stadium, with some questioning if there could be underground parking to double the stadium’s capacity.

There was also discussion of permitting “Single-A” baseball. Kirkpatrick said the City preferred to have “affiliated” baseball at the stadium.

The stadium proposal goes to council for approval next week.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Finance+committee+votes+unanimously+Ottawa+Stadium+plan/8476663/story.html#ixzz2VGhTv4bs

[McC]

...“Baseball was successful before and it can be again,” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said Tuesday...

The Politics of Failure have failed! We must make them work again!"

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Isn't the definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result?"

[J.OT13]

Isn't the definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result?"

No, that's the definition of Ottawa.

[citydwlr]

Is this really the only way they can see this land be profitable again?! Don't get me wrong, I loved coming here back in the day to watch a Lynx game; but, that was triple A. But, in all honestly I can count on one hand how many times I went. And more recently, I never went to a Fat Cats game...ever. I just don't see how this will bring them any money...not from seat sales, or from merchandising.

If anything, I feel like they are trying to push this plan in order to justify the cost of the walkway over the QEW. Plus, they keep calling that field an "asset" so I don't think they really want to tear it down at this point since it cost so much to build in the first place. They need to think outside of the box (or diamond in this case)....Off the top of my head, they could bring the Museum of Science & Tech out of it's somewhat obscure location and build a world-class facility around the existing stadium's infrastructure (maybe with a planetarium or something novel to draw in visitors)? They could keep the base structure, but build around it. That would at least justify the walkway to some degree, and it would bring the S&T museum to a more central location.

Anyway, it's just my opinion, but I don't think Baseball has a fighting chance in Ottawa. They should open that space up to the someone in the private sector who can dream up something bigger and better to draw in the crowds.

[Cre47]

They should just forget about baseball. Baseball is probably not in the top 5 in sports interest in this city. Hockey first, football second, soccer third, basketball fourth and I'm sure there is more interest in golf and tennis before baseball. Heck there would be a bigger interest in auto racing before baseball. Yes I wish there would be a bigger auto racing facility than Capital City Speedway.

Baseball has lost a lot of interest after the Expos left Montreal and the Lynx left not to mention all the performance-enhanced scandals affecting MLB.

[NOWINYOW]

Maybe tear down the stadium and put any new casino there? Lots of room to develop underground parking, good access to the 417, public transit access with the new pedway over the 417. Plus 2 hotels.

[J.OT13]

They should just forget about baseball. Baseball is probably not in the top 5 in sports interest in this city. Hockey first, football second, soccer third, basketball fourth and I'm sure there is more interest in golf and tennis before baseball. Heck there would be a bigger interest in auto racing before baseball. Yes I wish there would be a bigger auto racing facility than Capital City Speedway.

Baseball has lost a lot of interest after the Expos left Montreal and the Lynx left not to mention all the performance-enhanced scandals affecting MLB.

Auto racetrack? There's a good idea for an added interest at a casino if it happens to be built outside of downtown. How about replacing the ailing horse racing with auto racing (if it has to be at RCR)?

[NOWINYOW]

Auto racetrack? There's a good idea for an added interest at a casino if it happens to be built outside of downtown. How about replacing the ailing horse racing with auto racing (if it has to be at RCR)?

I like the idea of an auto racetrack. I don't know if there's more interest in that than what RCR offers with the horses though. Maybe?

I still maintain that the city and province should give full gambling rights to RCR. The facility already exists, there's room for expansion and transit can be added if even through shuttle services. Be it ponies or auto racing, a track like that will make the Ottawa casino something different and unique to eastern Ontario and northern NY state.

A concert venue at RCR could also be implemented down the road.

[phil235]

They should just forget about baseball. Baseball is probably not in the top 5 in sports interest in this city. Hockey first, football second, soccer third, basketball fourth and I'm sure there is more interest in golf and tennis before baseball. Heck there would be a bigger interest in auto racing before baseball. Yes I wish there would be a bigger auto racing facility than Capital City Speedway.

Baseball has lost a lot of interest after the Expos left Montreal and the Lynx left not to mention all the performance-enhanced scandals affecting MLB.

I'm not sure where you are getting your popularity estimates. As a spectator sport, I really doubt that any of golf, tennis or racing would outdraw baseball. And its also debatable that basketball is more popular than baseball. After all, even a low-level team like the Fat Cats easily outdrew any basketball or soccer team that has played in Ottawa. Only hockey, and possibly football have demonstrated more fan support than baseball.

But even if baseball is number four, or five as you claim, what is wrong with the city owning a facility? The city owns facilities for numbers one through three on your list. Yes, each one is attended by a minority of people, but they are still big numbers of people being served by the facility.

There is more than enough room for four sports in a city of a million people.

[J.OT13]

I'm not sure where you are getting your popularity estimates. As a spectator sport, I really doubt that any of golf, tennis or racing would outdraw baseball. And its also debatable that basketball is more popular than baseball. After all, even a low-level team like the Fat Cats easily outdrew any basketball or soccer team that has played in Ottawa. Only hockey, and possibly football have demonstrated more fan support than baseball.

But even if baseball is number four, or five as you claim, what is wrong with the city owning a facility? The city owns facilities for numbers one through three on your list. Yes, each one is attended by a minority of people, but they are still big numbers of people being served by the facility.

There is more than enough room for four sports in a city of a million people.

Other than Hockey, I would say everything else is up for debate (but tennis and golf are out of the ranking completely, at least for me. Fun to play, excruciatingly painful to watch).

I would tend to agree that in a city of over one million we could support all these sports teams, but the problem is most of them are all coming in at once. Between poor transit connections (partly fixed by 2017, at least for Baseball) and an uncertain economy (high tech and federal layoffs), adding 4+ sports teams (Fury, RedBlacks, SkyHawks and Baseball and I believe the Ravens are adding something) all at once might be overdoing it.

[phil235]

Other than Hockey, I would say everything else is up for debate (but tennis and golf are out of the ranking completely, at least for me. Fun to play, excruciatingly painful to watch).

I would tend to agree that in a city of over one million we could support all these sports teams, but the problem is most of them are all coming in at once. Between poor transit connections (partly fixed by 2017, at least for Baseball) and an uncertain economy (high tech and federal layoffs), adding 4+ sports teams (Fury, RedBlacks, SkyHawks and Baseball and I believe the Ravens are adding something) all at once might be overdoing it.

No question that it is a lot all at once. I particularly wonder about the Tomahawks/SkyHawks.

But as soon as the pedestrian bridge is built, the Ottawa Stadium has the best transit connections of any of the facilities.

[Acajack]

My sense is that the CFL will do well. Basketball and soccer will do OK relative to what average attendance in their respective leagues is. (In the 3-4,000 range per game is more than acceptable for either.)

Baseball is hard to say. I do think it has been passed by the other sports in popularity, whereas before it was a solid third.

[phil235]

My sense is that the CFL will do well. Basketball and soccer will do OK relative to what average attendance in their respective leagues is. (In the 3-4,000 range per game is more than acceptable for either.)

Baseball is hard to say. I do think it has been passed by the other sports in popularity, whereas before it was a solid third.

I think that the average attendance in that basketball league is about 800. It won't take much to exceed that. But there really isn't much in the way of evidence of what basketball support will be like here. Carleton draws in the hundreds with the best university program in the country (with the exception of Capital Hoops at Scotiabank). The attendance at the CIS Finals was quite poor, despite heavy promotion by the Sens. I guess time will tell.

I would agree that soccer will likely do better, though the current incarnation of the Fury don't currently draw particularly big crowds on a regular basis.

[JeffB]

I think that the average attendance in that basketball league is about 800. It won't take much to exceed that. But there really isn't much in the way of evidence of what basketball support will be like here. Carleton draws in the hundreds with the best university program in the country (with the exception of Capital Hoops at Scotiabank). The attendance at the CIS Finals was quite poor, despite heavy promotion by the Sens. I guess time will tell.

Starting out at Scotiabank Place won't help the basketball team in the least. Such a small crowd in a cavernous building will make it seem even smaller. (And yes, it is quite a drive to get out there too - the standard lament about the place) But minor-league basketball is a bit of a tough sell to begin with. A lot of leagues have been kind of fly-by-night with teams coming and going. We will see if these guys can market it well and get good crowds. If they can make a go of it until the Civic Centre is available again, then they may find that a better venue.

I would agree that soccer will likely do better, though the current incarnation of the Fury don't currently draw particularly big crowds on a regular basis.

The current incarnation of the Fury are at about the 4th level of North American soccer. Think of the Junior A CHL as a comparable. Moving up to the 2nd level of competition would be helpful, although we will see. Having OSEG's money and support should help too.

[JeffB]

Auto racetrack? There's a good idea for an added interest at a casino if it happens to be built outside of downtown. How about replacing the ailing horse racing with auto racing (if it has to be at RCR)?

Unless they are able to secure a long-term deal with the Canadian Tire Series to race there, I don't think you will see a new venue locally. (assuming you mean an oval track)

The club racing market has Calabogie and ICAR close by which makes a natural terrain road course hard to do too. And Tremblant isn't that far away either.

[lrt's friend]

Car Racing on Coventry Road is a non-starter. The noise factor will be unacceptable in any urban or suburban location.

You will recall that stock car racing took place at Lansdowne Park in the late 1950s. It only lasted about 5 years because of the noise. That is when Capital City Speedway was built to move racing out of Lansdowne.

[isaidso]

And its also debatable that basketball is more popular than baseball.

If baseball is below basketball, support is non-existent. I recently went to the Final 8 in Ottawa and attendance was abysmal. They had the #1 team in the country, going for their 9th national title (which would be a record), and you couldn't tell who the home side was for many of the games.

Nova Scotians descended en masse, however. There were tons of fans who made the trip west to Ottawa and they drowned out the rest of the arena completely. Acadia has 4000 students and Cape Breton is about the same size. Carleton, however, has 40,000 students and they couldn't even sell out the lower bowl?

It's a shame that baseball has fallen so far in some parts of Canada, the country that gave birth to the game. Perhaps we need a MLB team in Vancouver and a return of the Expos to get us back to where we should be? It's not all bad though. Attendance at baseball games still beats every other sport in Canada except hockey and football.

[J.OT13]

No question that it is a lot all at once. I particularly wonder about the Tomahawks/SkyHawks.

But as soon as the pedestrian bridge is built, the Ottawa Stadium has the best transit connections of any of the facilities.

I too wonder about the SkyHawks (I miss the Tomahawks name); it was kind of a surprise when I found out we had a Basketball franchise.

Because of the coming bridge and ORT, I think we should wait until 2018 before we get a new baseball team to give it the best chance.

Car Racing on Coventry Road is a non-starter. The noise factor will be unacceptable in any urban or suburban location.

You will recall that stock car racing took place at Lansdowne Park in the late 1950s. It only lasted about 5 years because of the noise. That is when Capital City Speedway was built to move racing out of Lansdowne.

Race track at Lansdowne! Great idea!!! put that in instead of that useless park.

Kidding of course. I would not support a racetrack anywhere near the city. But if the casino ends up at the RCR, I think it might make it more interesting.

[Cre47]

I'm not sure where you are getting your popularity estimates. As a spectator sport, I really doubt that any of golf, tennis or racing would outdraw baseball. And its also debatable that basketball is more popular than baseball. After all, even a low-level team like the Fat Cats easily outdrew any basketball or soccer team that has played in Ottawa. Only hockey, and possibly football have demonstrated more fan support than baseball.

But even if baseball is number four, or five as you claim, what is wrong with the city owning a facility? The city owns facilities for numbers one through three on your list. Yes, each one is attended by a minority of people, but they are still big numbers of people being served by the facility.

There is more than enough room for four sports in a city of a million people.

The Fat Cats Attendance average I believe was around 3,000 to 3,500 (4 000 in the Finals) per game though up from 2,000-2,500.

Basketball (would do better downtown than at Scotiabank for sure). Meanwhile for golf I wish the PGA men's Canadian Open tournament would occasionnaly use on one of the courses. There should be at least one course in the region would be able host the PGA's (I know the LPGA for sure).

[JeffB]

The Fat Cats Attendance average I believe was around 3,000 to 3,500 (4 000 in the Finals) per game though up from 2,000-2,500.

Basketball (would do better downtown than at Scotiabank for sure). Meanwhile for golf I wish the PGA men's Canadian Open tournament would occasionnaly use on one of the courses. There should be at least one course in the region would be able host the PGA's (I know the LPGA for sure).


The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club has hosted the Canadian Women's Open a couple of times in the last 20 years. The Royal Ottawa in Gatineau hosted one in 2000 as well. But that tournament rotates around the country so it wouldn't be an annual event. The Mens Canadian Open doesn't stray too far from Oakville, so it hasn't been around here recently.

I think basketball is a huge question mark though. Minor league basketball as a whole hasn't been very successful in North America. And despite local history for the sport (heck, James Naismith was from Almonte) I don't know how much support we will have for a team long term. But I guess there is only one way to find out.

[lrt's friend]

I too wonder about the SkyHawks (I miss the Tomahawks name); it was kind of a surprise when I found out we had a Basketball franchise.

Because of the coming bridge and ORT, I think we should wait until 2018 before we get a new baseball team to give it the best chance.



Race track at Lansdowne! Great idea!!! put that in instead of that useless park.

Kidding of course. I would not support a racetrack anywhere near the city. But if the casino ends up at the RCR, I think it might make it more interesting.

I have my doubts that car racing and horse racing are compatible in the same facility and furthermore, we have a whole new community being built just down the hill from RCR and in time it will be almost next door to the east.

[J.OT13]

I have my doubts that car racing and horse racing are compatible in the same facility and furthermore, we have a whole new community being built just down the hill from RCR and in time it will be almost next door to the east.

I was suggesting killing horse racing all together. We (government) are in the business of making money then using it to serve the people, not making money and then bail out old ideas that don't work and don't give out any benefits.

The seclusion (as in alone in a field, not disturbing anyone with plenty of space for big ideas such as racetracks and amusement parks) of RCR was the one thing that gave it an edge in my mind. But now, if we are expanding suburban hell and NIMBY potential northward towards it, that should push it out of the race since it no longer has that one and only advantage.

We need to give the Airport, Melnyk and whomever was looking at downtown equal opportunity to bid on a casino. We can't play favourites, especially not when the favourite ahs never done anything for anyone.

[Cre47]

Double-A bid rejected by Committee.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/double-a-baseball-bid-rejected-by-ottawa-city-committee-1.1875047

And immediately followed by three quick post in Gray's blog, 11 posts in the past week alone

[JeffB]

I get why Grey would prefer having AA baseball over the Can-Am league, especially if the team were aligned with the Blue Jays. But the deal to bring AA baseball to Ottawa is far more complex than he is letting on. There is no word on what team would be moving to Ottawa (as it would have to be a relocation). The ownership group, Mandalay, didn't make itself known until fairly recently (considering people have been discussing it for a couple of years), and according to Ken Grey himself, the company that would own the team was itself for sale only a few months ago. And the "proper process" that was put in place to "legitimize" the decision gave Mandalay the opportunity to shoot themselves in the foot by asking for $40M in renovations to the stadium. One that many people would wonder why it would need that kind of overhaul. Oh, and I believe city staff was not given an assurance that it would be a Blue Jays affiliate, at least not initially.

[jay2018]

If we were really set on double aa i would like to have seen how much it would have cost to build a new stadium vs fixing up the current one.